347 Stroker Engine Build - Homebuilt Stroker Swap Part 3

We put the finishing touches on our fresh-built 347 and drop it between the fenders of our SSP coupe

Marc ChristAssociate Editor

May 19, 2011

If you want something done right, then do it yourself. That’s an old clich that may or may not be true, depending on your level of expertise on the subject at hand. Doing something yourself can give you the peace of mind that some may not be able to get from paying someone else to do it. It can also give you the self-satisfaction of pouring your heart and soul into a project to see the finished product.

When I decided to attack this 347 build alone, I knew that I would have to overcome obstacles I had never encountered. What exactly those obstacles were, I didn’t know until they slapped me in the face. More important to me was accomplishing the task of showing you, our loyal reader, that you too can accomplish the same task with an engine build, at home and on a budget.

In Part 1, we introduced the core of this build--Summit Racing’s remanufactured stock block. Together, the block (PN SUM-150110) and Scat rotating assembly (PN SCA-1-94165) retail for less than $1,600. We also showed you how to assemble the short-block with a few specialty tools.

Last month, Part 2 involved Fox Lake Power Products and Comp Cams. Ron Robart of Fox Lake ported our Edelbrock E-Street aluminum heads and reassembled them with larger valves from Edelbrock, as well as upgraded springs and hardware from Comp Cams. We also introduced our cam choice--Comp Cams’ XE282HR--and all-new parts for the remainder of our valvetrain from Comp Cams. We checked piston-to-valve clearance and finished assembling the long-block.

Your author has done everything you’ve seen to this point, with the exception of the machining and assembly of the heads. Though our tools are new and fancy, the shop is air conditioned, and the floors are spotless, this build is no different than what you can accomplish in your own garage. Sure, we’ve used fancy lighting and expensive camera gear, but only to bring you a better representation in these pages. The ultimate goal is to inspire you to break out of your shell and attack a project like this yourself.

That being said, the next few pages will show you some bumps in the road that we hit, as well as the finishing touches, installation, and chassis-dyno test of the new powerplant. We enlisted the help of Chris Johnson of SCT Performance to teach us how to iron out any electrical and tuning issues associated with the addition of 45 cubic inches. We also performed a throttle body test, complete with dyno results. Next month, we’ll wrap up this series with a track test and a complete price list of parts used.

This build is no different than what you can accomplish in your own garage.